Transportation container



`Fune 17, 1952 l L. F. URBAIN TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER Filed Feb. 27, 1948 3 am 6 miv,

IN VEN TOR. /fm

Patented June 17, 1952 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER Leon F. Urbain, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,502

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a container for mailing, expressing or otherwise transporting photographic slides or prints or other material which in transportation would be subjected to rough and destructive usage or deterioration.

, The invention has been illustrated and will be disclosed in connection with a container for mailing photographic slides, but it will be understood that the invention in an enlarged size is equally applicable to cardboard photographic or other prints, or in fact to any material or commodity which would suffer destruction, impairment or deterioration during transportation. With reference to the mailing of photographic slides, in the United States today there are thousands of photographic fans making slides for projection work, as well as making negatives and prints. Substantially every major city puts on one or more contests per year. In the larger shows slides come from all over the world. The contestants are limited to exhibit four such slides and four prints, but there is no practical way of mailing or transporting these exhibits, and therefore the contestants are forced to use all kinds and description of wrappings and packages which are inadequate, so that with respect to many of the prints the corners of the mounts are broken, and with respect tov` photographic slides many of the Iglass mountings thereof are broken. In addition, in returning these exhibits to the contestants there is great inconvenience and expense to the clubs or other groups conducting the exhibits, since it is necessary to use this large number of different kinds of wrappings to mail or transport the slides back to the owners.

The object of the present invention is to provide a convenient mailing or transporting packaging device which will be of great advantage to those participating in these contests, and for other commercial uses in transporting copy, photographs and other items between producers, such as advertisers and clients, and vice versa.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing a very inexpensive yet rugged container of the character described which is simply made of relatively inexpensive materials, quickly assembled, and which may be mailed or transported without further wrapping or packaging, and which when so transported will maintain the contents therein weatherprooLfree from breakage and other damage which otherwise would result from rough handling or transportation, and which package may also be remailed by the recinient without alteration other than providing 2 the same with a new address label and postage attached directly thereto.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specication when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved mailing container;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail View showing the usual standard iilm box or container therein;

Figure 3 is a side View of the mailing device showing the lid in dotted line open position;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view of a modied form of container made of plastic material or extruded aluminum; 1

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the same with the parts in assembled relation;

Figure 'l is a perspective View of the same with the end cap and pivoted lid;

Figure 8 is a sectional View thereof taken on the line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a view of the film box which is one of the articles that is transported in my improved mailing package; and

Figure l0 is a view of a modified construction of the manner in which the closure iits into one end of the box.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, as illustrating at least two forms of the invention, the first form is shown in Figures l to 4 inclusive as comprising a relatively flat box or container closed at ,one end and havin-g the other end hinged thereto to give access to the interior of the box. In the present case the container is made rectangular and flat in order to receive a lm box, shown for instance in Figure 9, which holds two inch by two inch slides.

In the present instance I prefer to make the mailing container of a pair of sheet facings 2 and 4, preferably of masonite or any other like plastic material, even including cardboard. These two masonite plates 2 and 4 are spaced apart on two of the sides by means of wooden or plastic strips and 8, and at one end an additional wooden or plastic strip l0 is fitted between the plates 2 and 4 and abuis the ends I2 and I4 of the strips 6 and 8, thus closing the end of the box, The plates 2 and 4 are secured to the wooden strips preferably by small nails or screws l5. The front end member I8 of the box comprises another wooden or plastic strip which at the end 20 is slightly curved as at 22 and is pivoted as at 24 between the two plates 2 and 4 so I provided,v

' passes lthrough the side walls` thereof.`

3 that the door or end I8 is free to swing to the dotted outline as shown in Figure 3. In closed position its outer wall 26 lies flush with the end wall 28 of the strip 6 and the end walls 30 and 32 of the end plates 2 and 4. Just opposite the free end 34 of the door I8 there is provided a cutout 36 in the end 28 of the strip 6 to enable the thumb or iinger to catch hold of the end 34 of the door to lift it to outermost position. Registering apertures are formed as at 38 through the two plate members 2 and 4 and also through the door portion I8 to permit a string or wire to be passed through and fastened by tying or by twisting, so as to hold the pivoted doorpermanently in closed position. It will be noted that the space between the plates 2 and 4 is suiiiciently wide snugly to receive the lnrbox' 40 and the width of this lm box, as shown in Figure 3, also ts snugly between the strips 6 and 8 so that there is practically no loose play of the box withinthe mailingcontainerwhen once inserted, so that in shipment' ortransportation breakage is eliminated substantiallycompletely. fi. In another :form ofY the invention I make the v'box.' of two.' plastic: members which sare cast in the form shown inrFigure 5. One ofthese members comprises a` plate-'like base 42 Vhaving at its opposite ends two upstanding' spaced apart parallel flanges IM and' 45,'. 'i8 and 59, the otherplate 52' being. provided with a'single pair ofanges 54 and 56 which are located with respect to the ends' 58 and 60 so that the flanges v 54 and S't snugly within thespaces or grooves formed between the flanges 44, 46j. 48' andV 5G.

In thisi position the flanges are united by heat *and pressure, or both, to lform a unitary plastic box. At the ends a plastic cap 52 isiitted over the ends and united 'by l'heat and/or pressure,

While at the oppositeend aV door or closure is shaped plastic piece includingan intermediate top 1wall 64 and two oppose'dflanges' 66 and 68, all

formed integrally. These "are pivotally' united tothe body by means of a pivotal pin i8 which The ilanges E6 and 63. come well down over the lsides of' the` adjacent end of the box andl are flush 1 or-lie in the plane of theouter wall '.12 of the box. The anges 66 and 68 of' the closurel G4 are provided with holes which register with an- V-"othery hole formed in the side walls 52and 42 ofthe box to permit thread to pass therethrough Land-be tied, or to permit a clip or wire to be -passed therethrough for closing ythe box.

Ti '.Inkcertain instances `instead of making this Yparticulary form of plastic I may make it of extrudedaluminum in exactly the same shape as shown in Figure 5, and assemblable in the manner shown in Figure 6,l with the anges spot welded in position andwith the bottom cap 62 spot welded in position.

' To open the box it is only necessary to remove Vthe thread or wire and press with the thumb on .the hinged side of the door so that it will flop open; If by any chance it should stick, there is "the thumbnail groove at the end so that it can be opened in that way also. If the box containing the slides shall have been lled with -the entry, money, or extra packing, and it sticks in the container, it may be removed by pushing a pencil through the hole 14 formed in that end of the box opposite the pivoted door, thus shoving the container with the slides completely out of the box.

" From an-.-i-n'spection of Figure' 1 it will be noted the same comprising a channel- 4 that the address of the sender may be placed upon the side of the box and that of the sender in the top left-hand corner, with a postage stamp in the top right-hand corner. In this condition the box may be readily mailed.

In Figure I have shown another type oi closure member which differs from the pivoted closure I8. In this figure there is shown a closure strip I8 of rectangular cross section which is rabbeted into the ends of the strips 6 or 8, the construction being such that these ends of the strips are cut away as at 6 and 8' to form shouldered recesses for the vreception of the ends of `the'closure I8. This rabbeted closure I8 can be held in any desired way, even including nailing through the ends of the side strips 6 and 8', into the ends of the rabbeted piece I8.

It is to be understood that this container is -Y not limited or restricted to the use for mailing of slides as it must be obvious that by multi- Aplying the size of the container and Yarranging the door on the side, such for instance as making either of the strips 6 or 8 the-door, the. device would beadaptable to mailing of `anything that is breakable or even toitems -not breakable.y It is understood that the masonite strips have a very smooth exterior surface which maybe written onor upon which `labels may be-easily.ad

kclaim as new vand desire toA securefby Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising -a pair of .rectangular flat, relatively thin sheets of waterproof,- light, durable material having pairsl of parallel sides, a pair of nailing stripsV of shorter length .than the.sizevr of the materialV inserted therebetween along twopairs of said parallel sides, .anzend of said sheet-stripv inserted between 'said sheets Yalong another of said sides at oneend withone side wall abutting the ends of the first mentioned parallel strips, fastening means engaging the 'marginal edges of theY pair of` sheets' andV said strips to secure the same in assembled relation and to :form a hollow, relatively flat, rectangular container, and an additional strip of relatively light, weatherproof and waterproof material pivotally mounted between the .ends of said sheets at one corner of that end of the container opposite the closed end, the free end of said Vlast mentioned pivoted'strip abutting the vinnerwall of one of said nailing strips in order to close the container.

2. A container comprising a pair of hat, relatively thin sheets of waterproof, light, durable material having pairs of parallel sides, a pair of nailing strips of shorter length than the size of the material inserted therebetween along' two pairs of said parallel sides, an end strip inserted in between said sheets along another of said sides at one end of said sheets with one side wallv abutting the ends of the first mentioned -parallel strips, fastening means engaging the marginal edges of the pair' of sheets and vsaid strips to secure the same in assembled relation andA to form a hollow, relatively flat, rectangular con tainer, and an additional strip of relatively light, weatherproof and waterproof material pivotally mounted between the ends of said sheets at one corner of that end of the container opposite the fclosed end, the free end of said last mentioned pivoted strip abutting the inner wall of one of said nailing strips in order to close the container, said pivoted strip and the sheets having registering apertures for the reception of a wire or thread for holding the pivoted strip in closed position, said pivoted strip having its inner end at the corner cut away to permit said pivoted strip to swing o-utwardly into open position.

3. A mailing container comprising a pair of rectangular imperforate sheets, a pair of strips of rectangular cross section disposed between the sides of said rectangular sheets in parallelism with the outer faces of said strips substantially flush with the side edges of said rectangular sheets, and a third strip mounted at one end of said rectangular sheets and between the same and disposed normally to said rst two mentioned strips, said strip at its ends abutting the ends of said rst mentioned strips, nails passing through the edges of said imperforate sheets and through said three strips to form a box-like container, and a fourth strip of rectangular cross section, said fourth strip having its outer walls substantially viiush with the outer walls of the opposite end of said rectangular sheets, and a pivot pin passing through one of the corners of said rectangular sheets and the corner of said last named strip, the inner corner of said last named strip adjacent the pivot being cut away to permit said last named strip to pivot outwardly, the free end of said pivoted strip in closed position abutting against the inner face of that side strip which lies remote from the side strip adjacent which the pivoted strip is pivoted.

4. A container comprising a pair of rectangular imperforate sheets, a pair of strips of rectangular cross section disposed between the sides of said rectangular sheets in parallelism with the outer faces of said strips flush with the side edges of said rectangular sheets, and a third strip mounted at one end of said rectangular sheets and between the same and disposed normally to said rst two mentioned strips, said strip at its ends abutting the ends of said rst mentioned strips, nails engaging the edges of said imperforate sheets and said three strips to form a boxlike container, a fourth strip of rectangular cross section, said fourth strip having its outer walls iiush with the outer walls of the end of said rectangular sheets opposite said third strip, and a pivot pin passing through one of the corners of said rectangular sheets and the corner of the last named strip, said inner corner of said last named strip adjacent the pivot being cut away to permit said last named stripl to pivot outwardly, the free end of said pivoted strip in closed position abutting against the inner face of that side strip which lies remote from the side strip to which the pivoted strip is pivoted, the marginal portions of one end of said plates and also of said perforated strip having registering apertures for the reception of a wire or a string to fasten said pivoted strip in closed position.

5. A mailing container comprising a pair of rectangular imperforate sheets, a pair of strips of rectangular cross section disposed between the sides of said rectangular sheets in parallelism with the outer faces of said strips iiush with the side edges of said rectangular sheets, a third strip mounted at one end of said rectangular sheets and between the same and disposed normally to said first two mentioned strips, said strip at its ends abutting the ends of said first mentioned strips, nails passing through the edges of said imperiorate sheets and through said three strips to form a box-like container, a fourth strip of rectangular cross section, said fourth strip having its outer walls iiush with the outer walls of the opposite end of said rectangular sheets, and a pivot pin passing through one of the corners of said rectangular sheets and the corner of said last named strip, inner corner of said last named strip adjacent the pivot being cut away to permit said last named strip to pivot outwardly, the free end of said pivoted strip in closed position abutting against the inner face of that side strip which lies remote from the side strip to which the pivoted strip is pivoted, the marginal portions of one end of said plates and also of said perforated strip having registering apertures for the reception of a wire or a string to fasten said pivoted strip in closed position, the opposite end strip having a hole therethrough.

6. A container comprising a pair of rectangular flat, relatively thin sheets of waterproof, light, durable material having pairs of parallel sides, a pair of nailing strips of shorter length than the size of the material inserted therebetween along two pairs of said parallel sides, an end strip inserted between said sheets along another of said sides at one end of said sheets with one side wall abutting the ends of the first mentioned parallel strips, fastening means engaging the marginal edges of the pair of sheets and said strips to secure the same in assembled relation and to form a hollow, relatively flat, rectangular container, and an additional strip of relatively light, weatherproof and waterproof material pivotally mounted between the ends of said sheets at one corner of that end of the container opposite `the closed end, the inner portion of the end wall of said additional strip about its pivot being cut away to permit said strip to swing to open position on its pivot, the free end 'of said last mentioned pivoted strip abutting the inner wall of one of said nailing strips in order to close the container.

LEON F. URBAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 409,661 Benas Aug. 27, 1889 440,147 Fox Nov. 11, 1890 565,265 Friede Aug. 4, 1896 1,570,018 Waddell Jan. 19, 1926 2,145,143 Trecantin Jan. 24, 1939 2,494,942 Hirsch Jan. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,245 Austria May 15, 1902 525,092 France Sept. 15, 1921 782,831 France June 12, 1935 

